While the Israelis blamed the fire at a West Bank mosque on electrical short circuit, further investigations have proven that the real cause of the fire was arson and that all signs point to the Israeli settlers.

The fire ripped through the mosque in the village of Luban a-Sharkiyeh on Tuesday, burning holy books and prayer carpets, the Associated Press reported.

The village mayor Jamal Daraghmeh and the residents of the nearby villages say following Israel’s decision to slow constructions of Jewish settlements, the settlers have repeatedly attacked Palestinian property.

Also on Tuesday, settlers set fire to an olive grove, destroying 50 trees.

Chief of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has already blamed the incident on the extremist Jewish settlers, calling it a "criminal" act.

He also warned that such hostile actions could endanger the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, just before their resumption.

The arson occurred while the US mediator George Mitchell has increased his efforts to resume the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks through mediating between the two sides.

The contacts have been halted for more than a year.

(Press TV)